Armies Pursue the Digital Dream.

The major armies of the world all see digital battle management systems (BMS) as the way of the future. But progress with this new technology since we last reported on it in 1997 has not always gone smoothly. The next few years should see BMS systems of some nations put to the practical test in large-scale exercises, while the soldiers of less progressive armies have the more modest goal of simply seeing such systems arriving in any quantity.

Greater tactical mobility and the increased performance of the sensors used to detect the enemy and of the weapons to be brought to bear against that enemy have created a dramatic increase in the speed of modern combat operations. The solution to the problems of commanding fast-moving forces is the digital battle management systems which allow all friendly units to share a common operating picture, free front-line commanders from routine reporting tasks and give senior commanders a God-like view of the battlefield.

United States 

The US Army, the most enthusiast proponent of digitisation, plans to invest about $17.4 billion on digitisation over the next five fiscal years. Having equipped its first division, it plans to equip its first digitised corps by the end of 2004, and its remaining active and reserve divisions and corps by 2015.

The 4th Infantry Division was digitised by being given 16 high-priority systems. Designated `Category 1' (Cat 1), these are mostly command, control, and communications systems that support decision-making by commanders located in tactical operations centres.

By December 2003, the Army plans to equip its second digitised division (the 1st Cavalry Division) with Cat 1 systems and as many of the 56 Cat 2 systems that are available. Lower in priority than Cat 1 systems, these generally involve the fielding of new or enhanced battlefield platforms, such as the Crusader self-propelled howitzer, Abrams tank and Bradley fighting vehicle.

The Army's first digitised corps will be III Corps, which consists of the 4th Infantry Division, the 1st Cavalry Division and the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. By 2004, all will have Cat 1 and available Cat 2 systems.

The tactical element of the US Army Battle Command System (ABCS) is the Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2). This is intended to give each vehicle and weapon platform the ability to know its own position, and that of friendly and enemy units. A vehicle-mounted installation known as an applique integrates data from the vehicle's own sensors, from other sources (such as a digital radio link to a tactical Internet, or the vehicle's Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite-navigation system). This connectivity is even expected to extend down to the individual soldier, although the prototype man-portable hardware has proven a heavy load for the already over-laden soldier.

To provide operational experience with a digitised force, TRW Systems Integration Group's Army Systems Organization was, in 1995, awarded a $283 million contract to digitise an Experimental Force (Exfor) which consisted of the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Four equipment fits were used. V1 (version one) was a laptop system based on commercial hardware,V2 was an airborne and vehicular computing system based on ruggedised hardware, while V3 was a fully militarised computer. The final component was the Dismounted Soldier System (DSS).

In early 2000, TRW selected Litton Data Systems and Paravant to supply around 6000 Applique+ V4 computers under a three-year low-rate initial production contract. Over the next 11 years, the Army hoped to buy more than 59 000 Applique+ V4 systems.

Force XXI Applique equipment will be integrated onto 862 vehicles, including the M1 main battle tank, the M2 fighting vehicle, the M109 artillery system. helicopters and more than 30 other ground and air systems.

In 2000, the 4th Infantry Division began to deploy the new M1A1D version of the Abrams tank, and the first M1A2 Sep tanks created by retrofitting existing vehicles. Both are equipped with the FBCB2 system.

Problems with integrating the Embedded Battle Command (EBC) software into the M1A2 Sep delayed the start of the follow-on operational test and evaluation (FOT&E) by about 18 months (from April 1999 to October 2000). Since the FBCB2 system needs the EBC software, the M1A2 Sep is being given the Integrated Combat Command and Control (IC3) subsystem. This runs the FBCB2 software hosted on a separate processor (an Intel card), but uses the existing display and input device. Similar problems have affected the M2/M3A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and this too is being given the IC3 modification.

Up to 90M1A2 Sep tanks are expected to take part in the Division Capstone Exercise, scheduled for April 2001 -- to be a major test of the FBCB2 system.

If a digitised force is not to be delayed by a slow-moving logistic `tail', these less glamorous units will also need digitisation. By early 2001, 350 vehicles of the 4th Infantry Division had been equipped with the Comtech Mobile Datacom Army Movement Tracking System (MTS), and in late January the company was given orders worth around $ one million for MTS mobile terminals, computers and installation kits. Most of this new hardware will be delivered to the Interim Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) in Ft. Lewis, Washington, but some is being delivered to Ft. Irwin, California for mounting on a number of vehicles to support the 4th Infantry Division's participation in Division Capstone.

The prospect that BMS systems will allow armies to make better use of fewer men is an attractive one which the major Nato armies have embraced. The US Army is depending on digitisation to increase the combat effectiveness of its future divisions, reducing the number of weapon platforms and soldiers needed to fulfill missions. The revamped 4th Infantry has a smaller number of Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, while its strength has been reduced from 18 069 soldiers to 15 719. At the same time, the anticipated area of operations has grown from 10 000 [km.sup.2] to 24 000 [km.sup.2].

France

France has been another early-adopter of digitisation and BMS. A three-tier structure is planned. The top-level layer is the Systemes d'Information pour le Commandement des Forces (SICF), which is used from corps to brigade levels. Beneath this comes the Systeme Informatique Regimentaire (Sir) used to link HQ and support elements to the front-line Leclerc squadrons, while the Systeme Informatique Terminal (Sit) company-level BMS equips the individual weapon platforms.

Developed by Thomson-Comsys (now Thales), the SICF allows automated handling, transfer and processing of tactical information. It consists of a network of computer terminals operating under Windows NT and linked by standard military communication systems. It should be interoperable with other systems which use the Nato High-level Architecture or ADat-P3 protocol, such as the German Helios system.

The SICF was proven in its initial V1 by being deployed to Bosnia in 1995 and further tested during exercises `Aigle 1999' and `Guibert 2000'. V2 is under development. The system has been ordered by Belgium, and been chosen as the basis for Canada's high-level Command Information System.

Matra Systemes & Information is responsible for the Systeme d'Information Regimentaire (Sir). Development started in 1996, and first deliveries are being made to the French Army. The system is expected to be fully operational in 2002.

The Sir is available in several versions. Sir-Armour, Sir-Infantry, SirCombat Engineers, Sir-Army Aviation and Sir-Combat Service Support all use a technical `common core'. Around 90 per cent of the hardware and 70 per cent of the software is used by all Sir installations. Widespread use is made of cots hardware with a minimum adaptation to suit the battlefield environment, plus off-the-shelf software and protocols.

Sir installations are equipped Information Processing (TI) and Communication Server (SdC) software. The TI software runs on a hardened Sun Solaris workstation, and the initial version was qualified during the second half of 1999, with qualification of the SdC following in 2000. To clear the way for overall qualification of Sir V1, technical and operational trials were conducted at Matra Systemes & Information's industrial site at Val-de-Reuil.

A basic command post consists of a single VPC module, with a regimental command post normally having two VPC modules, which could be extended to four.

The Sir relies mainly on PR4G VHF radio networks, but can also use the Rita trunk communications system, HF radio, satellite communications or military or civilian land lines.

The Sir is normally mounted either in VAB vehicles or in truck-mounted shelters. Both installations were qualified in July 1999 when they successfully passed field trials at the Satory, Angers and Gramat test centres.

In the summer of 2000, the Delegation General pour l'Armement (DGA) announced that Giat and Matra Systemes & Information had been selected to provide the Systeme Informatique Terminal (Sit) VI system. The winning design was a version of the Giat Finders (Fast Information, Navigation, Decision and Reporting System), a BMS originally developed as the Leclerc Battle Management System to equip the Leclerc tanks, BMP-3 infantry combat vehicles and M998-series HMWWV (Hummer) command vehicles of the United Arab Emirates. During recent manoeuvres by the UAE Army, Finders gave good results, says Giat.

The main difference between the Finders and the Sit V1 is that the latter has been designed to handle French Army messaging protocols. The Sit V1 includes a Matra Systemes & Information Tacmaster computer and is integrated with a hybrid navigation system consisting of a GPS receiver, fibre-optic gyro laser navigation system and an odometer. Software and integration is provided by Giat.

Under the DGA contract, an initial batch of 24 systems is to be supplied for trials, which will continue until the first quarter of next year, with a new phase of testing to begin three months later. This will lead to system qualification, clearing the way for the series production of an eventual total of 600 systems.

The French Army plans to fit the Sit on AMX-10 RC, VBL and the planned VBCI. The first squadron of 12 AMX10 RC and 12 light armoured vehicles is due to be equipped by the end of 2001. The contract covers 640 vehicles, and the first squadron of 12 AMX-10 RC and 12 VBL reconnaissance vehicles is due to be equipped by the end of 2001. Total value of the first five-year production run is FF 300 million ($ 41.6 million). While the existing contract will provide Sit systems for the AMX10RC fleet, a portion of the VBLs (144 VBL and 40 long-wheelbase VBLL) and 150 examples of the planned VBCI infantry carrier, more will be needed to equip the Leclerc MBTs, the remaining AMX-30B2 tanks plus other AFVs.

The French Army does not want its vehicles to have an embedded BMS; the hardware will be integrated with the AFV's existing equipment. The resulting commonality will minimise the cost of the Sit V1 hardware and allow the of vehicle. For example, the Sit system is a VBL will have the full BMS software, even though it does not require all the functions provided. If necessary, the hardware could be switched to an AMX-10 RC, a vehicle which does require fire-control functions.

In November 2000 the DGA ordered a new batch of 44 Leclercs plus 52 options. These final batches will be delivered between 2002 to 2005, and will bring the French Army fleet to its planned total of 406. As expected, these final tanks will be fitted with a new version of the Sit system. Known as Icone, this interfaces with the tank's fire-control system. For operational evaluation purposes, 13 existing Leclercs will be upgraded with Icone. Once production of Icone-equipped new-build tanks has been completed, a portion of the Leclerc fleet will be retrofitted.

At the same time, Giat was also given a contract for the design, development, industrialisation, production and product support of the first 65 armoured infantry fighting vehicles (VBCI), with first deliveries due in 2006. Options cover the remainder of the expected total of 700. Two versions are planned -- 550 infantry fighting vehicles (VBCI/VCI) to be fitted with the Sit, and 150 command post vehicles (VBCI/VPC) equipped with the Sir.

A third order covered the renovation of up to 300 AMX 10RC armoured vehicles, a first batch of 88 plus options on the remainder. Intended to keep the vehicles operational until 2015 to 2020, the upgrade will improve the reliability of the hull and integrate the Sit systems.

The Sit is compatible with the PMV2 protocol used by French Army Thales PR4G radios, and is interoperable with the Sir at regiment level. Nato interoperability will be provided at the Sir level. There is no lower-level interoperability requirement for the time being, but Giat says that if necessary it could provide a lower-level `bridge'.

The current V1 standard will eventually be followed by a V2 and V3, which will probably be software upgrades. One possible improvement would be an interface to the Biff battlefield IFF system.

Germany

The German high-level BMS is the Heros-2/1, which was developed by Siemens Defence Electronics as a high-level tactical/operational command, control and information system for use from corps level down to battalion level.

The first production batch of Heros-2/1s was delivered in the late 1990s for use by Germany's rapid reaction forces, and the experience gained allowed the refinement of the specification for Lot 2 systems, whose development ended in 2000. This version makes greater use of cots products. For example, the Diadem software package is used to display the military situation on a variable-scale map, Microsoft Office provides the basic functions, the operational database uses Oracle and a standard e-mail package handles internal and external communications. The system will also have interfaces able to support communication with allied systems.

In the spring of 1994. France and Germany agreed that the core elements of the C4I system to be used by the Eurocorps would be based on Heros-2/1, and following a field trial of Heros-2/1 in November 1995. Switzerland adopted the system as the basis for its planned Milfis, an army command and control system which will be used down to regiment level.

The middle level system is the Gefechtsfeldfuhrungssystem (GeFuSys). The originally planned initial operational capability of 2000 proved impractical, but the DaimlerChrysler Aerospace/Dornier/STN Atlas team delivered systems for test purposes, and fitted them to a number of M113 APCs and 4 x 4 utility vehicles.

Germany's platform-level BMS will be the Fuhrung und Waffen-Einsatz-System (FuWES). Although an experimental Ifis battalion-and-below BMS developed by Pietzsch (now part of STN Atlas) was used by the German Army during deployments to Somalia and Bosnia, this has not resulted in the system being deployed for large-scale use.

FuWes/Ifis systems have been fitted to some German Army AFVs, but on a small scale, and only for trials purposes. Vehicles selected to receive the Iris systems based on the STN FahKoM terminal system were a number of the Leopard 2 tanks being upgraded to the 2A5 standard and a batch of Marder A3s. Small numbers of Fuchs 10 x 10s and a number of 4 x 4 utility vehicles received systems made by ATM Konstanz. In most cases, around a dozen vehicles were involved.

Under the German Army's Gefechtsfeld 2000 programme, these FuWes/Ifis installations will be tested alongside the GeFuSys and Lot 2 version of Heros, a process expected to end in the autumn of 2001. The results from these trials will shape the future of Germany's digitisation plans. However, an official from one (non-German) BMS manufacturer has told Armada International that Germany may restructure its programme, taking a `clean sheet of paper' approach.

Britain

A 1995 industry brief described the British battlefield digitisation programme as "an approach unashamedly modelled on the current US initiative and which is mirrored by activities in France and Germany."

By 1999, some progress had been made on defining some of the core elements of the overall system. These were the Formation Battle Management System (FBMS) to be used from corps to battle group level, and the Battle Group Battle Management System (BGBMS) for use at lower levels.

The FBMS was specified by requirement ST(L) 4105, and by 1999 an ITT had been issued to industry. British Aerospace Defence Systems (now BAE Systems) has been selected as the `preferred supplier' for the feasibility and architecture design phase of the programme.

By early 2000, BGBMS had reached the stage of being a `Possible Future Purchase'. It was expected to enter service in parallel with Bowman, becoming operational around the middle of the decade. By the summer of 2000, BAE Systems, Computing Devices Canada, Giat, Lockheed Martin UK, Matra, Sagem, Thomson CSF-Racal and TRW were all believed to have proposed potential solutions.

In the meantime, some useful experience has been gained from the Platform Integration Pilot (Pip) and Digitization Awareness Programme (Dap) projects.

The Pip1 demonstrator was created by Alvis, who fitted a Warrior with the Computing Devices Canada battleWEB BMS and an Avimo Battle Group Thermal Imager. For Pip2, Vickers equipped a British Army Challenger 2 tank with elements of the FBCB2 BMS.

Under the Armoured Trials and Development Unit Digitisation Awareness Programme, a CVR(T) Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle and Sultan command vehicle were fitted with a WA Systems Battle Management System and accompanying software, Avimo/KVH navigational/situational awareness hardware and British Aerospace Defence Systems digital radios and digital harness. In the Scimitar, a cut-down version of the BMS software was run on a laptop computer, while the Sultan had a BMS console with a remote briefing display.

In January 2000, the British Parliament was told that "All three services have programmes to deliver battle management systems which will integrate with Jocs," [Joint Operational Command System] at the Permanent Joint Headquarters and its deployed headquarters.

Joint Battlespace Digitisation, which is in the early stages of development, aims to integrate operational information systems across the land, sea and air environments to enhance military capability in joint operations.

A study is currently being conducted to explore the feasibility for a joint service test and reference facility to incorporate the current single service reference centres in providing a joint digitisation testbed. The programme is in the very early stages.

One problem that Britain faces in its digitisation programme is that the three services have in operation, or are about to deploy, computer and communication systems whose technologies range from near state-of-the-art to the primitive semiconductor technologies of the 1950s and 1960s.

The current Clansman family of tactical radios is more than quarter of a century old, and is becoming increasingly obsolete. The Clansman is analogue, is insecure except at formation level and has a limited data capacity. The Bowman series of radios is intended to provide secure, voice and data tactical communications in support of land and littoral operations, until at least 2026. Its data-handling capabilities will be essential to the Digitisation of the Battlespace (Land) (DBL) programme, particularly for the FBMS and BGBMS.

Unfortunately the programme to field the new Bowman combat-radio system has been delayed. Unsatisfied with the submission made in by the preferred supplier Archer Communications Systems, the Ministry of Defence launched a new competition in July 2000, and invitations to tender were issued to three potential prime contractors on 1 November of that year. A preferred supplier is due to be announced in August 2001, and it is hoped that the resulting system will enter service late in 2003 or early in 2004.

Canada

To meet its requirement for a Land Force Command System (LFCS), in 1998 the Canadian defence ministry awarded Computing Devices Canada and Thomson-CSF Communications a C$ 135 million contract to supply a system based on the French Army's SICF (Systeme Francais d'Information pour le Commandement des Forces), but adapted to meet the Canadian forces' specific requirements.

Computing Devices Canada is prime contractor for this programme, while Thales is developing the system's Athene decision-support software. Several hundred equipments are expected to enter service, and will be linked to the Canadian Army's Iris tactical communications network.

Canada's lower-level BMS is battleWeb. Developed as a private-venture by Computing Devices Canada, this can be run on any personal computer with a 486 processor or better, and 16MB (or preferably 32MB) of RAM. The software can be run under the Windows 95/98/ME/NT or 2000 operating systems, or SCO Unix. Its demands on hard disk space are equally modest -- around 5MB for the software and 20MB for the data-compressed terrain information.

In Canadian service, battleWeb uses the Iris radio system, but during the JWID 2000 exercise, battleWeb was successfully operated using Sincgars and even the obsolescent British Clansman radios.

In March 2000 Computing Devices Canada was given a $ five million contract to install military computers into the Canadian army's Coyote reconnaissance vehicle and new LAV III Armoured Personnel Carriers. The integration work is due to be completed in 2001, with the system being installed in vehicles of one Canadian mechanised brigade group. An option covers a similar modification to other vehicles over the next two years.

Computing Devices would modify its current command-post version of battleWeb to make it more suitable for use in armoured vehicles. "The vehicles' navigation, communication and laser rangefinder systems will be integrated with the battleWeb software to provide a comprehensive battle management system", said Stu Tetarenko, Director of C3 Systems at Computing Devices.

"The vehicle crew has to be able to use the software at all times -- even when they are bouncing over rough terrain in the field", says Bruce Gilkes, the company's Business Development Manager. "There is no place to put a mouse and keyboard in a tank turret. BattleWeb's touch screen technology allows the user to operate the system while the vehicle is mobile."

Scandinavia

In May 2000, Kongsberg Defence Communications was awarded a contract to develop a division-and-below BMS for the Norwegian Army. This will be based on the company's ComBatt BMS and will use the EriTac tactical trunk communication system, with the MRR multi-role radio system providing links to mobile command centres. EriTac can handle multimedia data, voice and video communications, while the MRR provides secure high-speed data and voice tactical communications.

Like the French Sir, the Swedish Army's Armens Taktiska LEdning will be deployed in shelter or vehicle-mounted command posts. Sweden's current lower-level system is the Celsius/STN Atlas tank command and control system. Used on the Swedish Army's new Leopard tanks, this is based on the German Iris. Work is also underway on a second Iris-compatible battalion-and-below BMS which would be fitted to all other Swedish Army vehicles. This will be known as SBL (Stridsledning Bataljon). For the moment, this remains a technology-demonstration system.

Israel

In 1996, the Israeli company E1-Op announced that it had been given a contract to develop a BMS for the Israel Defence Force (IDF). The resulting CVIS (Combat Vehicle Integrated System) is now in production for use in tanks. Based on cots hardware and software, it uses a solid-state inertial measurement unit combined with a GPS to deliver heading and positioning data. an electo-optical sight which provides stabilised day/night observation, rangefinding, designation and automatic tracking and a helmet-mounted display which slaves the vehicle's weapons to the direction of the commander's gaze. A twin-screen multi-function display at the commander's station allows him to use imagery from the vehicle's own sensors, or from external sources such as: drones or other fighting vehicles.

Netherlands

The Royal Netherlands Army plans to procure a battalion-and-below BMS, but the original timetable calling for procurement to begin in 1999 had to be shelved due to budget cuts. The proposed system was expected to interface with the Integrated Staff Integration System (Isis) brigade-and-above system. A trial of the new BMS was conducted in early 2000, but to save money the BMS equipment was mounted, not in Leopard tanks and other AFVs, but in Mercedes-Benz 4 x 4 vehicles

Ooops!

Inevitably, the move to digitisation creates problems. For a start, systems need to be reliable. This means that they must deliver their full functions to users at all times. There is a tale, perhaps apocryphal, of how during a major exercise, one early naval battle management system suddenly denied its users all access to data. An investigation showed that the system had been designed to print a log of all requests for sensitive data. This was an absolute requirement, but unfortunately in the course of the exercise the vital printer either ran out of paper or jammed (accounts of the incident vary as to the reason). Since the requirement for a printed record was mandatory, the system emulated the Hal supercomputer in the movie 2001 -- A Space Odyssey. In overtones of Hal's response "I'm sorry Dave, I can't let you do that", the system coped with the crisis by refusing to provide information requested by its users!

Systems must also be resistant to enemy information warfare attacks. In September 2000, a team led by Logicon (part of Northrop Grumman) successfully demonstrated the first example of real-time information recovery and response during a simulated information warfare attack on a deployed US Department of Defense battle management system.

The demonstration took place as part of the Data Resiliency in Information Warfare (Driw) programme sponsored by the US Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, New York. "Driw is specifically designed to protect battle management and command and control systems," said Joe Giordano, a programme manager at the Laboratory. "Logicon's team is the only real-time recovery solution that has been successfully demonstrated."

"The Logicon team has focused on two unique areas -- forecasting an attack and responding in real-time immediately after an attack," said Dennis McCallam, a member of Logicon's senior technical staff. "Our work enables the user to either forestall an attack or react rapidly to it, and re-establish the system's operations with minimal or no impact to the end user."

The Widening Gap

In the civilian world, there is already talk of a `digital divide' which will see the gap becoming ever wider between societies which have not embraced digital technology (or which even lack a good telecommunications network) and those where the Internet and the `dot.com revolution' are an accepted part of life. A similar situation looms for coalition operations in which fully digitised units attempt to operate alongside less sophisticated allied units which either have not embraced digitisation, or who have incompatible hardware and/or software which prevents the exchange of data with the dominant member of the coalition.

Since a non-digitised force will have lower operating tempos than the digitised units, they are more likely to become targets for enemy counterattacks. As a result, the digitised force may be required to help protect the non-digitised, a task which will slow the digitised units and throw away many of the advantages of digitisation.

Such support may not be easy. The digitised force knows where its own units are, so can easily deliver accurate supporting fire to other digitised units. Fire intended to support non-digitised units whose positions are not accurately known runs a greater risk of `blue-on-blue' losses (as would any attempt by the non-digitised force to provide fire-support for the digitised unit).

Even if the undigitised ally does not need such protection, its lower level of situational awareness will reduce its effectiveness, slowing its operational tempo, and making it unable to contribute to the common tactical picture enjoyed by the digitised force.

An undigitised force could be a danger to the fast-moving digitised force, perhaps delivering fire into areas where the fast-moving digital force is operating. A recent Rand study has warned that "Such deficits may also lead to US attempts to micro-manage coalition partners, with the associated political stresses this may cause".

In Short

* "The sheer complexity and number of differing equipment being thrown onto the battlefield make their management an increasingly arduous task"

* "Electronics are only now coming to the rescue, but ironically add to the complexity of the system"

* "An issue of prime importance is now emerging: the technological advance imbalance among nations having to operate together."